Fate Alter Past
by WhoLovesOppai
Summary: Rain had a complicated past. Forced at a young age to become a child soldier, he had been raised as a weapon of war. However, one day, a girl had pulled him out of that hell and taught him the brighter side of life, taught him what it meant to truly be alive. Now, he fights to have his one wish granted, to bring her back. "You there. Are you the one who summoned me?" AU
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

The interior of the church was dimly lit, only the light from the eight candles in the center of the altar parted the darkness that blanketed the rest of the church's interior. The candles were arranged in a circle that was perfectly symmetrical. In the center of the circle sat a strange looking, triangular object. The triangular shard appeared to have a magenta luster to it and, despite being centuries-old, was still as beautiful as if it was crafted by the gods. Someone stood overlooking the circle, a young boy who was just out of his teens, perhaps in his early 20s. He was only about five-and-a-half feet tall and was by no means bulky and muscular, instead sporting a lean figure. Shadows from the light were dancing across the tan face of the young boy. He wore a dark blue buttoned shirt decorated with small white dots, almost evoking a picture of a clear night sky illuminated with stars. The shirt was tucked into a pair of slim-fitting black trousers that ended before a pair of black leather shoes that appeared worn and tiresome. He stood analyzing the set right in front of his eyes, the same way a painter peruses his masterpiece.

"You know, I almost thought you were some kind of burglar," a deep, booming voice started, echoing off the vaulted ceiling and towering walls of the dark church, "It's been four years, Rain. Never thought I'd see you here again."

"Sorry Father," the boy replied without turning around "I need to borrow your altar for a moment. I just wanted a quiet place to pray—"

"Don't think I'm stupid child," the voice cut him off before he could finish, "I know what you are trying to do". An old man stepped in front of the altar. The man was wearing a black priest cassock and was holding what appeared to be a wooden cane. He was shorter than the boy, at no more than five feet tall, and was clearly in his fifties or sixties. He had a bald head that reflected the light that came from the candles. "I've seen that kind of setup before. I'm an old bastard, I've been through too much. You're going to participate in that damn War aren't you?"

The boy's mouth curved into a smirk and the boy turned to face his visitor, or rather his host. The boy's short black hair melted into the dark atmosphere of the church, his dark brown eyes staring directly at the priest in front of him. His expression bore no ill will toward him, however, and instead had a look of nostalgia, as if he was remembering some fond memory of long ago.

"What war?" the boy inquired, with a slight tone of sarcasm.

"The Grail War," the priest started with a serious voice, "Where seven magic users summon the greatest heroes throughout time, with the winner of the War getting any one wish granted. The Grail revealed itself once more a week ago. That summoning circle in front of you, you want a Hero don't you?"

"So you know what I'm trying to do then," the boy's face turned serious and his eyes became slightly darker and looked down toward the floor, "Yes I'm planning to enter the Grail War. I already registered with the Vatican to participate. It seems as though most of the other Masters are from the Mage Association."

"So you have a wish to make if you win the Grail? It obviously is motivating enough to warrant your interest in joining that death battle. Tell me, what kind of wish do you want granted?"

"Wouldn't most participants wish for something idealistic like world peace or the end of hunger? Perhaps the cure to all diseases? "

"Yes, but you're not those people. I see the look in your eyes. Your wish...has nothing to do with any of those things," the priest suddenly frowned as if remembering something he shouldn't. "Your wish...is for her isn't it? For her to come back?"

"I—" the boy began but he paused. His eyes widened after realizing the priest read his mind. He turned his back to the priest and instead stared at the circle in front of him. A small tear began forming in the corner of his right eye as a certain image floated into his mind. The image of a girl lying in a coffin, a beautiful silk dress covered her cold, lifeless body like snow covering the winter earth. The small tear began rolling down his cheek and landed on the floor, shining in the candlelight. His eyes turned darker, the small flames that were reflected in the dark of his pupils had now faded and all that remained was an eerie and sad emptiness.

"That's some wish you hope to achieve. I know how much she means to you. Most people wouldn't be willing to enter some ridiculous deathmatch just for one other person. Grail Wars are full of dangerous people. Aria, certainly she found that out three years ago. She was one of the most skilled magic users I've ever seen, proof that only the insanely skilled bother participating in the Grail Wars. Though, I suppose if anyone were to win, it would be you," the boy snapped out of his thoughts when he heard the priest's voice right next to him, "according to my sources, the Grail this time has appeared in Fuyuki City, if I'm not mistaken. Japan huh… Does this mean you'll be summoning a Japanese hero? There's plenty to choose from."

"No. Unfortunately I was only able to procure this one relic." Rain pointed over to the metal triangle situated in the middle of the constructed magic circle. "It's an old Celtic spearhead, excavated from the Isle of Skye in Ireland."

"Isle of Skye…" the priest looked down, thinking about the significance of that place. "The Isle of Skye, wait, that could lead to any number of Irish heroes who used spears. Cu Chulainn, Hound of Ulster, or Scathach, Queen of the Fortress of Shadows, just to name a few. Ireland is home to many famous spearmen, so you have an extremely high chance of summoning a Lancer-class Heroic Spirit as your Servant."

"Well then that's all-the-more better for me then. If the Holy Grail War is as you say, then having an insanely powerful Heroic Spirit will give me an advantage."

"Obviously that should be the case. However, do you truly believe you can handle their power? Each one should have a powerful Phantasm from their legend. In order to sustain your Servant, you'll need to use the Magical Energy within your own body, and that could put a huge strain on you if you summon a formidable Heroic Spirit. Using their power might destroy you."

"Well I guess I'll find out won't I?" The boy grinned and raised his right hand. Three red markings covered the back of his hand, and formed the shape of what almost looked like a three-pointed star. "If I can just bring her back, it will all be worth it." He closed his eyes and pictured the ancient spearhead in his mind, searching for a great hero who would lend their power to allow him to fight in the Grail War. The circle began to glow in a red light as the candles danced violently, as if a strong gale had been circulating in the small circle. A bright red light shined from inside the circle and managed to illuminate the whole church, something the priest had only seen occur in the daytime during a full mass. The boy in the middle began chanting,

 _" **Heroic Spirits, greatest of all humans, by the power of the Holy Grail, answer me.**_

 _ **Here is my oath. I am the one who summons you across the boundaries of time.**_

 _ **You, legendary Hero, answer my call. Lend me your power and aid me as our fates intertwine.**_

 _ **I hereby declare. Your body shall serve under me. My fate shall be your sword.**_

 _ **Submit to the beckoning of the Holy Grail.**_

 _ **If you submit to this will and this reason…Then answer!** ―――"_

A bright red flash erupted from where the boy was standing and engulfed the vision of the priest. For a moment, nothing could be seen through the bright display of the intense red light that had replaced the darkness of the church. After about ten seconds of blinding crimson light, the priest's vision returned.

Standing within the magic circle, was a silhouette that momentarily took the breath away from both the priest and the boy. It was not a horrific figure, rather the figure itself seemed surreal, something one would see only in a once-in-a-blue-moon dream. An impossibly beautiful woman, with a figure one can only assume belonged to a goddess of yore. Gorgeous violet hair flowed down all the way to her waist, as if they were woven from the expansive night skies. A mysterious dark shawl covered the top of her head and extended down to her shoulders. An enchanting vermillion dress covered the female's curvaceous body, a shoulder-less design that extended from her well-endowed chest region all the way down to her smooth, white thighs. A pair of dark brown leather boots accented the similarly-colored gloves that extended from her fingertips to her shoulders. In her right hand, a meter-long spear rested. It was the same color as the spear fragment, a lustrous magenta spear pointed at both ends, though one end was significantly sharper and more flattened than the other. The shaft of the spear featured an ornate design resembling vines wrapping around a branch of a tree. As the mysterious yet ravishing woman opened her eyes, red irises could be seen; crimson orbs that seemed to rival the sun in both beauty and intensity as their gaze was full of ferocity. She took a quick, sweeping glance at the church's interior before setting her sights on the young boy. In an alluring yet dignified and commanding voice, she asked,

"You there. Are you the one who summoned me?"

"Y...yes." Rain's voice wavered for a moment, still stunned by the beauty in front of him. "I am the one who summoned you."

"Very well then, Master." The woman grinned before continuing. "I am Lancer-class Servant Aífe, daughter of Árd-Greimne. It will be a pleasure working with you."

"Aífe?" the priest asked, sounding as if he heard that name before. "As in from the Ulster Cycle?"

"Yes that would be yours truly." The newly-summoned Servant turned toward the priest with a smirk. "I am that Aífe. Queen Aífe to be correct."

"Amazing. Rain, you really did summon a strong hero." The priest looked at Rain, placing his hand on his shoulder with a firm grip. "Aífe in that legend was an extremely strong warrior and twin sister to the warrior queen Scathach. In legend, she was even able to nearly defeat Cu Chulainn in a one-on-one duel. A warrior queen who's skills with the spear and rune magic put her on par with Ireland's equivalent of Heracles-"

The priest was interrupted by Aífe's laughing. She seemed to have taken pleasure in the father's explanation of her abilities. "Good to see two individuals who recognize my power. Although I was a queen in life, I will forgive you two for not prostrating to me. However, I require your names. What is your name," she started as she turned toward Rain, "or should I just call you Master?"

"My name is Rain. Rain Ashell." Rain replied, his composure now fully recovered. "This right here is Father Manuel Ediza. He is the presiding priest of this church we are in. We are currently in France."

"France?" The Lancer raised her arm to place her hand under her chin. "Does this mean we will be fighting in France?"

"No Lancer," Rain responded, "this Grail War will be in Fuyuki City in Japan."

"Japan?" The female Servant looked visibly intrigued. Heroic Spirits are just as the name implies: the spirits of humanity's greatest heroes from history and legends. When Heroic Spirits are summoned by magic users as Servants, they usually come with a basic knowledge of the time they are summoned in and can learn more through the magical connection between they and their Masters. "Japan is a long distance away from where we are. The Grail War, it starts once all the Masters arrive at the location the Grail revealed itself and ends once all but one Master-Servant pair remain, correct?"

"Yes that is correct. From my sources, I can confirm that only three Masters have yet to enter the city as of yesterday. They are the Masters of Saber, Rider, and you, Lancer."

"I see. If you have these 'sources' then are you at least aware of who the other Masters are?"

"Not quite." Rain scratched the back of his head. "The Master of Assassin...remains a mystery."

Just then, Father Manuel spoke. "So Rain, how long do you plan on staying here? You are welcome to stay here as long as you like, as you did in the past, but surely you have preparations to make correct?"

"Correct Father." Rain took out something from his pocket, what appeared to be car keys gently dangled in his hand. "I have a truck outside. I just need to get my belongings. I'll only be here a day."

"Alright then." Father Manuel turned around and walked toward some door along the wall. "Your room is the same as it's always been. Make yourself at home." He disappeared behind a closing oak door. Ace turned toward the large double doors that indicated the main entrance to the church. Solid wood doors, they resembled the entrance to a castle or fortress as they seemed to be impervious to all forces.

"Lancer, care to come with me? I have stuff I need to retrieve."

"Very well then." Her spear disappeared from her hand into scattering particles of crimson light. She followed Ace, her footsteps silently, but with dignity, followed him out.

* * *

The grounds of the church were very well-kept. At about four acres, the square-shaped complex was surrounded on all sides by cobblestone walls that stood covered and entwined by various foliage and vines. Despite this, however, the grounds were evidently well-kept as the grass was neatly trimmed and the fountain in the center of the complex spouted clear water that cascaded down into the bowl of the fountain. If one were to look at the complex from above, the church would take up the entire northwestern quadrant of the complex while the rest of the space was occupied by grassy areas or smaller buildings. A dirt road led into the complex from the entrance and circled around the center fountain. Parked next to the fountain was a beige pickup truck; an aged Toyota Hilux, dirt and mud were smeared along side the fenders and door of the truck. Rain walked toward the rear of the truck, his newly-summoned Servant following closely behind. Aife looked around as they walked, observing her surroundings. From below her shawl, her beautiful violet hair shifted around with every light step she took. She walked with an air of royalty and dignity, giving off the impression of someone who was above everyone else. Finishing her analysis of the church grounds, she turned toward Rain.

"Master, may I ask a question?" Aife asked.

"If it's a question I can answer." Rain answered with a smile.

"That priest who was there when you summoned me, is he your father?"

"Yes," Rain began, scratching the back of his head, "although he is my adopted father. I was orphaned at a young age so the memories of my biological family are a blur."

"Orphaned? Where exactly are you from then, if you lost your family that quickly in your life?"

"I'm from a country in Southeast Asia. Around the time I was five, my family was killed by an insurgent group that operated in the mountains in my country. I was taken in by them to be used as a child soldier."

"Seriously? Must have been rough." Aife looked down briefly, remembering something that occurred long ago during her life. She pictured her own son, who had met his end due to the _geis_ that was placed on him by his father. "Master, are you aware of who I am? Or at least who I became associated with?"

Rain thought about his answer. He did know of her past, particularly in relation to the great Irish hero Cu Chulainn, though his Servant would definitely not think the hero was great by any stretch of the word. Rain had read up on Celtic mythology recently in preparation for his summoning, so he couldn't say no to her question without lying.

"Yes," Rain began, "you are the sister of the Queen who ruled Dun Scaith, Scathach. You fought a one-on-one battle against her student, the Hound of Ulster." Now, this was the part he had trouble phrasing. "During the battle, you gained the upper-hand and were on the verge of winning." Ren paused, and met with the anticipating stare of Aife. He gulped then continued. "You were tricked by Cu Chulainn and in your distraction, you were subdued and-"

He was interrupted by a blinding flash of violet. Blinking due to shock, he opened his eyes to see that a violet spear was pointed no more than a centimeter from his throat, at the other end stood his Servant, poised to strike. Aife's eyes intently gazed at him. Having been a child soldier for much of his early life, Rain could feel the killing intent that emanated from her. Sensing the immediate danger he was in, Rain raised up both of his hands besides his head, carefully thinking about what his next words would be. Should he have a slip of the tongue, he knew that he would not be able to defend himself against the wrath of a Heroic Spirit.

"Lan...cer?" Rain asked, sweat beginning to form on his forehead.

"Master, you believe that 'twas I who should have won that battle?"

Rain answered without hesitation. "Yes I do." This wasn't a lie. Rain knew that Cu Chulainn had tricked the honest and straightforward Aife at the time. The answer seemed to appease his Servant as she lowered her spear. She dematerialized it, and it disappeared in a flurry of purple light particles.

"Very well then Master. I apologize for the sudden aggressiveness." She gracefully bowed her head in repentance. "You seem like a decent person. However, I have a bit of a grudge against my sister's prodigy."

"Oh no it's really fine," Rain responded, waving his hands, "Even though I summoned you, we are equal partners now. You may ask me anything you'd like, though I'd hope you'd allow me to the same with you."

"Very well then Master. Master, may I ask another question?"

"Only if you don't try to skewer me again." Rain had a sarcastic smirk on his face, though in reality he was truly afraid of that moment repeating itself.

"What is your wish Master? If we win the Holy Grail War and manage to access the Grail, what will you use its power for?"

This time, it was Rain's turn to put on a serious face. The last three years had been spent trying to find a relic to participate in the Holy Grail War. His conversation with the priest earlier and now Aife only reminded him of his steadfast resolve in reaching his goal.

"Lancer, you understand what it's like to lose family correct?"

"I'm sorry, come again?" Aife asked, apparently having been caught off-guard by the question.

"I lost someone in the last Holy Grail War. Someone who was like a sister to me, and for the last three years I've wanted nothing but the chance to bring her back through the Holy Grail."

"Your wish, is to bring her back? You don't want to wish for something like world peace or a cure to all disease?"

"Yeah." Rain turned his head to find his Servant sitting on the hood of his truck. She seemed to be smiling in his direction.

"Fate must have brought us together then," Aife began, a slight tone of laughter coming off from her voice, "My wish is similar. I want to undo something that happened in the past."

"Would that be to wish for your life again?"

"No, that wouldn't be interesting. Instead I want the chance to challenge that bastard Setanta to a duel. This time, I want to kill him."

Rain stared for a moment, dumbfounded. "So, your wish is to have a battle with Cu Chulainn again? You're not going to wish for something like your kingdom to come back?"

"Well yes of course, seeing as he humiliated me." She got off the truck and stood right in front of Rain. "Kid, take this from a Heroic Spirit. There's many reasons people become heroes. Some do it out of necessity, others do it out of their beliefs. I became the person I was simply because it was fun battling other warriors and doing whatever the hell I wanted. While there were other events in my life that I prefer to have gone differently, changing the past too much is not a good idea. Good or bad, all events shape the person one becomes."

Rain smiled at his Servant, amused at her words. "You're an interesting one, I'll give you that. Although, so far I'm glad I summoned you rather than some other hero"

Aife went over to Rain's side and leaned herself against his shoulder, propping herself with her arm. "Oh, and would that be because you sense my combat abilities Master? Or is it because you find me incredibly alluring? It's okay Master, I wouldn't blame you. Many men have become entranced by me, pledging loyalty to me after one glance."

"You're quite the comedian aren't you?"

"Just breaking the ice Master. Seems like we need it considering I just tried to separate your head from your shoulders. Don't worry, I wasn't completely serious when I held my spear up to you."

"If that's you not serious then I shudder at the thought of you fighting seriously." Rain responded, sighing at his Servant's casual reference to her earlier actions. He reached into the back of the truck, pulling out a large black duffel bag and a medium-sized beige backpack. Slinging one strap of the backpack over his right shoulder, he turned around. "Well this is my stuff. I only need the basics anyway. Lancer, we won't be here long. In a few days, we'll be in Fuyuki City for the start of the Grail War."

"Master, I will only accept victory you know," Aife said with a smirk on her face. "I am not the type of woman to sit idly when something doesn't go my way."

"Well then Lancer, let us both do our best." Rain's extended hand was met by his Servant's in a firm handshake. This would be the start of the Grail War's most interesting duo.

* * *

 **Interlude**

" _Would you like to come with me?"_ _That voice. After ten years, this one moment remained firm in the boy's mind. The light pouring into the room made his eyes shut for a second. His senses were disoriented; an explosion had rendered him unconscious some time earlier. He had no clue what was going on, other than that he was in a different location._

" _What? What's going on?" He asked, his throat raspy and dehydrated._

" _My name is Aria. I brought you here to this hospital." The boy managed to focus his squinted eyes on the source of the voice. Sitting to the right of the bed he lay on, beautiful platinum blonde hair captivated him, for a moment dimming the disorienting lights permeating the blinds behind him. Azure eyes met with his dark eyes, reflecting the incoming light as the ocean reflects the sun. The young girl conversing with him wore a black shirt and skirt, all under a pure white coat. Though not elegant or flashy by any means, it was enough for the boy's thoughts to suddenly focus on the girl in front of him. Just as he regained his composure, the girl leaned forward an inch or two and asked a question. "Before we start, may I please know your name?"_

 _The boy blinked his eyes. Having been raised as a weapon of war, he never really thought about the name he was given. He simply responded to what the older soldiers had referred to him as. "R...Rain."_

" _Just Rain?" the girl asked. The boy nodded his head in affirmation. "I see. Well how old are you...Rain?"_

 _The boy did not know this. For as long as he knew, he was simply a weapon and thus lost sense of time. "I don't know." The boy did not look scared or worried about his situation. Rather, no emotion could be detected from the boy's demeanor or answers. He seemed empty, as if he had a complete lack of emotion. This was the look of a young boy who was orphaned and raised to become a weapon of war from a young age._

" _Ummm...that certainly is a problem" the girl said, curiously putting her finger on her chin and tilting her head. "Well then, Rain. My name is Aria. Though this is our first time meeting, I hope we'll have plenty of opportunities to become friends!" The girl in front of him exclaimed such a desire with a warm smile._

 _Friends? Such a concept didn't exist to him at the time._

Rain's eyes opened, only to reveal the white stone roof above. He had been asleep, dreaming of the past. He lay on a bed in a small room in the back of the church. The room itself was a ten foot by ten foot square that seemed to only have a bed, lamp, and window as the only significant features other than the dreary grey stone walls that surrounded the room. Rain lay on the twin size bed wearing almost the same outfit he was wearing earlier sans the shoes and the shirt for comfort. He slowly raised his upper body, now sitting cross-legged on the bed.

" _It was a dream huh."_ Rain thought to himself. " _Haven't had dreams of that time for a while now."_

"Not to be rude Master, but that dream of yours woke me up too." His attention was distracted by the voice coming from the apparently unnoticed presence in the room. Turning his head, he noticed a dark blue blanket and pillow had been laid across the remaining floor space. However, the voice came from the person laying on the blanket, both arms stretched behind her head, dark violet hair spreading out on the pillow as if it were a flower that bloomed only at night. She too had been wearing the same outfit she wore during her summoning, though Rain noted her dress which had become disheveled, perhaps from the sleeping. Because of this, he was able to notice more of her well-endowed figure clearly, specifically her thighs and chest region. Despite possessing an inhuman sense of self-control, he did note that she was extremely alluring in a sultry manner. "You know that since Heroic Spirits summoned as Servants are basically more advanced familiars, we're connected via your magical circuits right? If I try hard enough, I can see into your dreams or thoughts." Though her words implied dissatisfaction, she said this while a small smirk formed on her face, likely implying a different meaning with her words. "Like right now, I can see where your looking. As a queen, I permit you to gaze at my beauty." Aife began laughing lightly.

"Quick with the jokes aren't we," Rain replied, joining in on the laughter. "Noted." Humans with magical potential possess what are known as magic circuits. They function analogous to the nervous system in the body, though instead of electrical signals they transfer mana whenever the user uses magic. A summoned familiar, such as a Heroic Spirit summoned as a Servant, is connected to the summoner since they were summoned by their magic, thus their minds can be linked through magical connection. The extent of which, however, had its limits.

"So, in that dream, who is she?" Aife asked, still continuing to lie down with her eyes closed.

"She is…" Rain paused for a moment, thinking on how exactly he wanted to phrase his answer. "...the person...who made me human I suppose." Rain stretched his legs out and lied back down. Sleep would benefit him at the moment so he intended to take full advantage of it, not noticing the inquisitive look his Servant was giving him.

* * *

Thanks guys for giving the first chapter of my story a chance! Next chapter is probably gonna come out mid-May just because school is winding to a close for me so this is the part of the year I actually have to try so I can graduate. But if anyone has any questions about the story feel free to ask! Also big thanks to everyone who followed and/or favorites my story!


	2. Day One

**Day 1**

 _~One week later._

The docks in Fuyuki City gave meaning to the phrase "concrete jungle". High rising cranes and towering stacks of colored shipping crates looked down upon the smooth concrete and the beautiful blue waters that bordered the lonely docking area. A couple freighters were docked in the harbor, though at this time in the early morning, no one was visible in the main areas of the dock. However, in a remote corner of the dock, two men stood right in front of a teal-colored shipping container with its door halfway open. Parked nearby was a grey Toyota Hilux, a simple yet rugged pickup-truck design that was more than capable of blending into urban environments such as that of Fuyuki City.

Between the two men was a plastic table, white and roughly three feet in length. Though the table itself as unimpressive and ordinary, the objects placed on the table was far from it. The table top was displaying three firearms, each with their own distinct appearances. The shortest of the three was what appeared to be a shotgun, though shortened for close-range combat. The second was an assault rifle, a beautiful Israeli design known as the "Galil ACE". The boy closest to the car, Rain, picked up the longest object on the table. It was a sniper rifle, made of machined steel, a a futuristic design that definitely suited the long-range weapon. At four-and-a-half feet, it was a beautiful yet simple design. Rain carefully looked through the telescopic sight mounted on the rifle, pointing it at a nearby bush. He detached the magazine from the rifle, inspecting the five rifle rounds carefully placed inside. With each round being over four inches long, this definitely was made to take down targets with one shot.

"CheyTac M200 Intervention," the other man across the table explained. "This is the model you requested correct?"

"Yes. It meets my specifications exactly." Rain replied, lowering the rifle onto the table. "A rifle capable of shooting accurately up to 2000 meters. Thank you."

"Strange as it is, I always deliver what you want. Though I have to ask, you didn't want something more powerful? If you want, I have several anti-material rifles you can use."

"Thank you, P-san, though I won't need them." Rain declined, staring apologetically at the Japanese man in front of him. An arms dealer who usually deals with anyone with the income to buy weapons, the enigmatic man by the moniker "P-san" was also a recurring ally (of sorts) for Rain. He stood slightly taller than Rain, though from afar the two appeared the same height. His ash-colored hair indicated that he was much older than the customer in front of him. He wore a grey suit with a red bowtie as usual, something Rain had since long decided not to ask about his choice in attire. "I need something I can move around easily in. It's hard to run around in a city with a huge rifle."

"I guess you're right. Doesn't really matter to me anyway, I asked for twenty-thousand dollars and you paid it without even trying to negotiate. Customer's always right." The arms dealer carefully took the rifle Rain placed back on the table and put it into a special firearm case he pulled out from the open shipping crate. He likewise began placing the other firearms on the table into similar cases. The cases were then placed onto a dolly to be moved. Turning back to Rain, he spoke once more. "You know, there's a lot of associates of mine who talk about you. Seems that you've been causing a lot of trouble for people. You know people are calling you the _Angel of Death_?" Rain paused upon hearing that.

"Is that so? Geez. I'm only human. I don't know if I agree with the 'angel' part of that."

"Well your exploits over the past three years speak for themselves." P-san turned around to close the door to the shipping container. Without turning, he went on, "Word spreads quickly in the underground, especially when some of the most wanted people on the planet somehow wind up dead or disappearing. Oddly enough, in the span of three years, one person has been able to kill all eight of the top ten on the Mage Association's Wanted List. I don't know much about those weirdos, but I do know that some of those bastards would've needed an entire strike team of the Association's Enforcers to apprehend. Funny that the teams that do get sent only find a bunch of dead bodies and bullet casings." Rain turned around and began walking toward his car, pushing the dolley of firearms with him.

"Since when do you look into what the Mage Association does? A non-Mage such as yourself usually is ignorant of the world of mages."

"I've been all over the world, seen a lot. Besides, my best customer happens to be the Association's top Enforcer, so granted I peeked into your life a bit. Though I do question, what're you doing here in Fuyuki City? Other than the Yakuza gangsters that frequent the city, no one I here I know of is dangerous on the level that would require your interference." Rain opened the tailgate of his Toyota before continuing the conversation.

"Something's going to be happening in the next couple weeks. If I were you, I'd either lay low or just get the hell out." He loaded all of the firearm cases into the back of the truck.

"A long-range sniper rifle, one assault rifle, and one sawed-off shotgun. That's some arsenal you asked for."

"Well that should indicate just what the hell is going on in this city. Stay safe my friend." Rain didn't stop to hear a response. The diesel engine of the Toyota Hilux gently awakened with a steady roar, and the car launched itself out of park and quickly left the vicinity. P-san stood, thinking over what Rain said before he left.

"Well, if it's him warning me then this is something I should stay out of."

* * *

Rain's truck parked outside a condominium located within the business center of the city. The complex itself was not particularly tall, compared to the skyscrapers that dotted the inner city, nor was it extremely elegant or lavish. The interior was notably more decorated that the exterior, though still not enough to qualify as "luxurious". Rain stopped in front of his door. The metal plate on the door revealed the numbers "604". Rain slowly inserted his key into the doorknob and opened the door.

"I'm back." Rain announced. The one room apartment was fairly roomy. At about the size of a typical Western living room, it was more than enough for two people to sleep in. Two beds lay with about two feet between them, with neatly folded blankets. An adjacent kitchen was nearby, featuring modern appliances such as a refrigerator, stove, and oven. A room to the left of the entrance revealed a bathroom equipped with a toilet, sink, and shower. The entire area was simple, featuring only the necessities. Though, the only interesting thing in the room was the woman lying on the ground watching something on the TV.

"Finally. Don't worry though, these TV shows were fairly interesting." Aife remarked, not bothering to look at her Master arriving. Upon summoning, Servants normally receive basic knowledge of the world through the magical connection with their Master. This is normally information about modern technology or events and cultures, to prevent culture shock from occurring.

"Wouldn't Servant's such as yourself normally be in spiritual form when not needed? Rain was referring to the invisible form Heroic Spirits would take when not materialized into bodies. In that form, they are invisible to most people and are conscious of the surroundings though are otherwise unable to fight or interact with others. It can be compared to an observing ghost. Aife looked at Rain before sighing.

"Kid, It's been twenty centuries since I've had a body to actually walk around in. Being able to feel the ground under my feet is a blessing. Are you saying you don't want me around? Geez, you know I'm one of the top three strongest Irish heroes you know," she asked with the same look of sarcasm she had occasionally given Rain since she was summoned. Though she liked to occasionally say things like this, Aife seemed to give a smirk every time. Her easy-going attitude made it easy to work with her.

"Yeah yeah. I'm aware," Rain replied, casually waving his hand to dismiss her antics. "A hero equal in ability to the great Warrior Queen Scathach, something like that. Anyway, get up Lancer. We're going to the church."

"Church? It's almost midnight you know. If you want to go repent, I'd wait until tomorrow."

"No that's not it." Rain explained. "The Church formally supervises the Holy Grail War, though what we're fighting for isn't exactly the same Holy Grail from the Bible. The quote-on-quote Grail we're fighting for is an extremely dense concentration of magical energy that appears every-so-often in this world on a whim. Throughout history, it's been used to grant the wishes of any one person that wields it. For example, the person who would later be revered as Jesus of Nazareth did find and use the Holy Grail to resurrect himself after he foresaw his death."

"Interesting." Aife got up, carefully smoothing out her crimson dress. "Strange, I was alive around the time that Christianity's roots first began. Although it was long after my death that the religion finally came to Ireland. What does that have to do with this Church exactly however?"

"The church here has a supervisor who carefully makes sure none of the participants break any rules such as murder innocent civilians or cause unneeded destruction. A priest sent here, someone by the name of Kotomine."

"Huh. Rules in a war, doesn't that seem hypocritical?" Aife turned off the TV and proceeded to walk out the door. "Doesn't matter. Come on Master, I'm looking forward to this fight."

 _-Thirty minutes later, the Kotomine Church, Fuyuki City_

The church in Fuyuki was by no means large enough to house any significant gathering of people. Rather, it consisted of a small complex in the shape of a square surrounded by iron bar fencing. The only entrance was a tall gate that led to a cobblestone pathway leading to the main entrance. In fact, the church reminded Rain of the church in France where he had spent much of his time in, and where he summoned Lancer. The inside of the church was similarly unimpressive. Rows of pews leading to a simple altar with one podium. Pockets of moonlight trickled through the tall windows of the church, partially obscured by curtains at some points. Rain walked toward the altar, to speak with the man who stood there with his back turned.

"Hello, my name is Rain. I would like to register for the Holy Grail War," he announced to the man in front of him. His outfit consisted of a dark green V-neck shirt with a collared black bomber jacket over it. Dark jeans matched the pair of black boots that covered his feet.

"Very well. May I see proof that you have summoned your Servant?" The man turned around, ordering him in a deep and somewhat unnerving voice. He was rather tall, standing at six feet tall and appearing to be in his mid thirties. Wearing a simple black priest cassock and a gold crucifix hanging from his neck, the brown haired priest looked like a Man of God should. Rain walked toward him and rolled up the left sleeve of his jacket, revealing his forearm.

An intricate pattern was visible, similar to what a tattoo would look like. This one, however, was crimson and magical in nature. Formed by three elaborate strokes of red, the shape itself formed a design shaped similar to a rhomboid spearhead, with the strokes forming the sides and middle of the spearhead.

"Here is my Command Seal," Rain announced confidently, "I am the Master of the Lancer-class Servant."

"I see." The priest took out a small violet book from one of his pockets and opened it. "I am the overseer of this War, Kirei Kotomine. Please place your hand on this page to complete registration." He held out the book which was turned to an open page. Rain walked up and placed his hand on the page. The book began to glow in a dim blue light, before the very same symbol his command seals made were inscribed onto the page Rain's hand was just on. Rain took off his hand, fixing his sleeve back down once again. The priest looked at the book, noticing that Rain was starting to turn around to leave. "Master of Lancer, may I ask what it is you used as a relic for summoning?"

"An old spearhead excavated from Ireland."

"I see." The priest examined Rain with an unsmiling expression. Just then, as if noticing something, his eyes widened. "By any chance, would you happen to know which Servant won the last war?"

"Assassin did." The priest was visibly surprised by the correct answer, though the voice had soon disappeared behind the closing front door of the church.

"To think that you would be participating in this war after what happened three years ago. Interesting." The priest mused as he closed the book, returning it to his pocket. "Very well then. Looks like all the players have entered the stage. The Grail War has officially begun."

* * *

"Well, that was quick." Aife remarked as she leaned against the fender of the truck that was parked down the road from the Church. It was a moonless night, fairly dark save for the streetlights that were illuminating the fog filled air. Visibility was adequate, though seeing any significant distance was straining on the eyes. Rain's footsteps added a soft pitter-patter as his boots struck the pavement.

"I didn't like being in there. Revealing my status as a master is not something I wish to be too open about."

"Well, wouldn't other Masters just camp out by the church and pick people off as they registered?"

"That's a good, but unfortunately impossible strategy. The Church has the capability to summon a Servant of their own to help mediate over the War and punish people who cause unneeded destruction or start killing non-combatants."

"I see." Aife looked past Rain into the trees that lined the side of the road. A thick forest lie just beyond the edge of the city lines, providing a beautiful green backdrop to the city. "Although, since we're away from the church grounds, that means we're in no man's land, ain't that right Servant?"

"My, how perceptive. Good on you Miss." A figure with a large leather hat steeped in to view from behind a tree. The hat's brim was tilted down to obscure his face, though a blond beard could be made out. The man was dressed in a leather tunic, Renaissance-esque clothing that looked designed to be used in colder environments. Grey leather boots stepped out, creating faint cracking sounds with the leaves underneath. "I'm the Archer-class Servant." He held out his arm to the side where a antique weapon had manifested from thin air. A wooden crossbow, engraved on the stock was a coat of arms. Rain quickly recognized it as Swiss in origin. "I've been watching you guys for a while now. Servant woman, may I ask which class you are?"

Aife's lips quickly turned into a smile of pleasure; she got off the car and stood in front of Rain. Holding out her hand in front of her, she manifested her weapon from a flurry of violet light particles. In her hand soon formed, a lustrous magenta spear pointed at both ends, though one end was significantly sharper and more flattened than the other. The shaft of the spear featured an ornate design resembling vines wrapping around a branch of a tree. This was her favored weapon, Conlaoch, a spear she had forged in her life to fight against her sister's cursed spear, the Gae Bolg. Later named for her son, it is the weapon she had used to fight Cu Chulainn in a duel, as well as the one she gave to her son to do the same thing. "I'm a Lancer, plain and simple. You're not alone are you?" She turned to look at her Master who had spotted someone ahead of them on the road.

"Well look what we have here. I did not expect to enter a fight this quickly into the war." The voice came from the man who had just arrived. He stood much taller than Rain, perhaps over six-feet-tall. His pale skin made him stand out in the illuminated roadway. Long silver hair flowed from the top of his head to just past his shoulders, in contrast with the black suit he currently had on. From the design of his suit, he was clearly wealthy. In fact, his posture indicated he was someone from a well-standing family, perhaps from one of the magic-using noble families of the Mage Association. "As the first-born son of the Ortlinde family, allow me to introduce myself. I am Julius Ortlinde." He leveled his arm across his torso and bowed down. Rain looked at the gesture before turning to his Servant.

"Lancer, we have no escape route at the moment. Our only option is to fight our way out of here." Rain reached into the inside of his coat and rested his hand on waist holster. He pulled out an object a little under a foot long in length. It was a shiny, silver revolver, beautifully decorated with a pearl grip. Engraved into the grip of the revolver was what appeared to be a set of roses. The engraving was particularly noticeable due to the deep crimson inlay used to mark the engravings. This particular model of revolver was a Colt Single Action Army. This "Artillery" model in Rain's hands was made to fire .357 Magnum caliber rounds, which were known to completely devastate non-armored targets. Turning back to Julius, Rain spoke. "Well, if my Lancer-class Servant fights your Archer, then that must mean you and I will face each other."

"But of course," the man replied, placing a hand on his hip, "a duel between two mages is to be expected correct?"

"Master, permission to engage?" Aife asked, staring with killing intent at the crossbow-wielding Servant in front of her.

"Very well." Rain looked toward his Servant, a confident smile stretching across his face. "Time to see if your words match your skills."

"Is that a challenge Master? If so, then I pledge my pride as the legendary warrior queen, Aife of Lethra." Lowering the tip of the sphere, Aife suddenly disappeared from Rain's eyes. In fact, neither of the two human mages could tell where she went. The only one who could tell was the Archer Servant standing on the side of the road. Reacting almost instantly, the Archer quickly side-stepped just as a long magenta flash descended on the spot where he had been standing. In a fraction of a second, Aife had jumped into the air and attempted to swing her spear down on the Archer, though his reflexes managed to save him.

"Oh, a woman who enjoys fighting up close?" the Archer asked, while at the same time somehow managing to avoid the myriad of spear thrusts being performed by Aife. "Although I admire that, sadly I'm not one for close-quarters." The thrusts of the spear were blinding. The afterimages created by the spear left beautiful purple streaks between Lancer and Archer; these thrusts were being made at speeds impossible for any human to comprehend. Each thrust of the spear was met with fancy footwork from the blond Archer, though his feet were gradually slipping under the relentless onslaught. Archer was incapable of parrying any of the spear attacks with his bow, so he resorted to simply trying to evade and gain distance.

" _Well, looks like she can back up most of what she says…"_ Rain thought. At the moment though, he was completely occupied by his opponent, the mage of the Ortlinde family, Julius. The Ortlinde family was a noble family of mages that stretched all the way back to the 14th century. Carefully cocking the hammer back on his revolver with his thumb, Rain eyed his opponent. He knew that the Ortlinde family's specialty was ice magic, though how his current opponent would use it he had yet to find out. Raising his revolver, Rain carefully aimed down the sights, lining up the barrel with the torso of his target. Within the span of half a second, Rain had entered into combat mode. Exerting force with his finger, Rain pulled the trigger.

A deafening blast came from the muzzle of the revolver. This specific model was made to fire magnum cartridges. The Single Action Army was an iconic firearm that could be found in the hands of many gunslingers during the era of the American Frontier, and the .357 Magnum bullet speeding toward the target carried that spirit of gunslingers. The round traveled along an invisible line toward the target and within a fraction of a second was about to pierce Julius' chest…

But stopped. The round stopped mid-air, right before it hit its target. Rain understandably looked with surprise at the bullet seemingly floating in mid-air, though he quickly saw why. Surrounding the bullet was a wall of ice, roughly an inch thick. The wall itself was only about seven feet tall, and half that much wide. Rain also noticed that Julius was exerting magical energy; putting the two together, he realized that this indeed meant that he had created that wall using ice magic. Moreover, he was able to erect that wall in the one second it took for him to raise his handgun and fire the bullet, something impressive that Rain hadn't seen the likes of for a while.

"A mage who fights using the weapons of normal humans. Such a pity, I thought that the Grail War would be a battle of magic users, not mere humans. As the first son of the Ortlinde family, I must prove the superiority of my family's magic."

"I'm sorry to disappoint, however you'll find me to still be an opponent you can't possibly defeat." Rain quickly returned his revolver into the inside of his jacket. Channeling magical energy into his arms and legs, Rain dashed toward his opponent. However, after about three steps, Rain quickly jumped to his left before combat rolling forward. During that short burst, Rain had detected that his opponent had targeted the area he was standing on, and as he saw, the ground he was on was beginning to become covered in dozens of sharp spikes of ice that were jutting upward in an attempt to kill him.

"No matter what you do, you can't escape my ice" Julius taunted, forming a spear of ice in his left hand. "Die right here, Master of Lancer." He then proceeded to hurl the spear toward Rain.

" _Shit"_ Rain thought. Using reflexes and skills learned from a background of fighting in war and working as a freelance hunter for the Mage Association, Rain quickly rolled over to his left, striking the hard concrete as a meter-long spear of solid ice pierced the same ground only a foot away. As Rain got back to his feet, another spear was hurled toward him, causing him to immediately jump back to avoid getting pierced. " _Damn it. Looks like I'll have to use that technique if I'm going to win_." Rain immediately took a deep breath and began to activate his body's magic circuits. Magical energy began flowing with the blood throughout his body. His opponent quickly noticed this development; due to being attune to magical energy, magic users naturally are able to detect the use of magic.

"Oho, finally using magic now instead of uncivilized guns to defeat me. Very well then." Julius focused on the ground Rain was standing on. He focused his magical energy in freezing the spot Rain was standing on. If he could restrict his opponent's movement through ice, then victory would be all but certain. Inaudible to him, Rain whispered a simple word.

"Algiz."

As his spell came to completion within a second, Julius noticed something that quickly alarmed him. Rain was gone, no trace of him could be seen on the spot now covered in ice. He had vanished in front of his eyes. "What the hell? Wait a min-..."

He was cut off as he received an intense yet precise blow to his stomach, sending him flying backwards.

* * *

Aife was growing increasingly impatient at her battle. The Archer Servant was extremely agile, capable of avoiding all of her spear thrusts and swipes. Granted, he was not in any sort of position to attack her with the wood crossbow in his hand. With every swing of her spear, her beautiful long hair danced vividly in the air. As if dancing across the asphalt road, Aife maintained her assault on the other Servant, pushing him back into the forest that surrounded them. The purpose of this was simple; she needed to get the Servant out of visual range of her Master. The Archer-class was full of Heroic Spirits that were extremely adept in long-range combat, to the point of becoming historical legends. Despite her observation that Rain could hold his own against other mages, there was no way he could stand up to a Heroic Spirit. As Aife let loose one last thrust of her spear, the Archer Servant jumped up into a tree.

"Well Miss, I am impressed by your skills. Knowing that I could easily take out your Master on the road, you pushed me back somewhere where I can't get a proper shot off." The Archer servant raised his crossbow and aimed it at Aife. Materializing out of thin air, a perfectly sharp arrow could be seen securely knocked back on the crossbow's action. "However, you and I are alone now. I was holding back earlier to reduce the risk of hitting my own Master on accident. Now I can really unleash my arrows. Prepare yourself Lancer." Archer raised his crossbow and centered its sights on Aife's torso. "In my lifetime, I would never be able to fire three arrows this fast. But after becoming a Heroic Spirit, it seems as though everything we do is magically enhanced. I never encountered magic in my lifetime, but this is interesting." Pressing the trigger three times in rapid succession, three arrows flew single file toward Aife. The three arrows quickly flew to within an inch of Aife, ready to pierce her body with three precise strikes…

Or so he thought. Just as quickly as the arrows flew through the night air, all three were deflected by beautiful magentra strokes delivered by Aife's spear. The three arrows, now found themselves embedded into nearby trees as Aife simply stood there, her beloved spear in hand. Without even the slightest hint of concern on her face, Aife sighed and looked at Archer, who was standing on a tree branch, surprised at his opponent's amazing reflexes.

"Sorry, you're going to have to try harder than that." Aife taunted, closing her eyes and casually shrugging her shoulders. "No matter if you're a Heroic Spirit, mere arrows aren't gonna cut it with me. However, I suggest you stop trying to fight any more. After all, you notice it don't you, it's silent over there isn't it". Archer looked toward the direction they came from and noticed it. The fighting had stopped.

"Damn," Archer uttered under his breath, "looks like this'll have to wait. My Master needs my help." Jumping down from the tree, he quickly dashed over to where the two Masters were.

" _Good shit Master."_ Aife thought to herself. She dematerialized her spear and quickly followed Archer's example.

* * *

"You, what the hell was that?" the curled-up figure on the ground asked. It was the mage Julius Ortlinde, who was currently lying in fetal position on the cold hard asphalt. He appeared to be coughing up blood as crimson specks could be seen lining the bottom of his lip and chin. "How did you manage to sneak upon me, a first-class mage, just like that."

"Rune magic. All I did was use ancient Norse magic to obscure my presence with wind and punch you. Nothing much," Rain replied, standing over him with an uncaring expression. Slowly, he pulled out his handgun from his jacket, the .357 Magnum Single Action Army. Pointing the muzzle at his opponent's head, he demanded with a stern tone, "You have two choices. Order your Servant to kill himself and exit the war. I'll let you live. Or you can refuse my offer. You can figure out what the consequence is there."

"Tch, there's no way I lost to some third-rate magic user like you," Julius replied with a click of the tongue. "I would never acquiesce to someone like you who relies on the weapons of the common man."

"Very well then." Rain prepared to pull the trigger with his right index finger, before suddenly sensing the danger from behind. He turned around instantly and contracted his finger; a loud boom noise reverberated in the surrounding air as a bright flash of light radiated from the gun barrel. In under a fraction of a second, a metal-coated lead bullet had collided with a steel-tipped wooden arrow, causing the arrow to fragment into pieces and disperse mid-air. Still aiming the sights of his handgun in the opposite direction he was just facing, he saw the leather-clad Archer there, also aiming his weapon, but at Rain. It was a Mexican standoff between a Renaissance archer wielding a crossbow and a magic-using marksman with a revolver.

"Interesting." The Archer was the first to speak. "You managed to deflect an arrow aimed for your head. That is a feat I am willing to acknowledge."

"I am proud to hear that," Rain answered with a smirk, "especially from the legendary Archer, Wilhelm Tell." Lowering his crossbow momentarily, Archer asked a question.

"How'd you figure out my identity so quickly kid?"

"Two reasons," Rain began. "That coat of arms painted on your crossbow, it's Swiss in origin, dating back at least to the Renaissance. Coupled with the fact that your shooting is extremely accurate when aiming at a target, there's no mistaking it. You are the hero of Switzerland, Wilhelm the Archer." Rain suddenly noticed something and turned back toward Julius who had not left fetal position, prompting Archer to re-aim his crossbow.

"Get away from my Mas-"

"Conlaoch". Archer did not get to finish his threat. As he was speaking, a magenta flash had dashed from behind him and into his heart. Looking down, he saw a beautiful spear that had pierced clean through his torso and the bloodied spearhead was now visible as he was looking down. A taste of metal began to seep through his lips as crimson blood flowed down his chin and dripped onto his leather clothing. He grabbed the spear to attempt to pry it out but his assailant quickly ripped the spear out of his back, causing Archer even more gruesome pain. "Seems as though my attack worked. Your heart was pierced, there's no healing that" said the voice that had just attacked Archer. It was Aife, Rain's Lancer-class Servant. As Aife shook the remaining blood off of her spear, Archer's body slowly dissipated into particles of light, all without a single word. The souls of Heroic Spirits are summoned into bodies made with pure magical energy, or mana, when they become Servants. If they are killed, their souls simply exit the body, leaving it to diffuse into the air.

"Well, now that that's taken care of…" Rain had not turned around this whole time. Rather, he aimed his revolver once more and fired a single shot. The piercing sound of a gunshot once again rang through the air. Afterwards, Rain turned from the body and the bloodstain currently on the road and faced his Servant. "Well that was easy. Looks like we defeated a Master and Servant on our first night out."

"So we did Master." Aife smiled as she dematerialized her spear. "Who knew my Master was such a competent fighter. Good job Master, you've earned my praise."

"The feeling's mutual" Rain replied with a smile toward his Servant. "But that technique at the end, was that your Noble Phantasm?"

"Yes it is, good job noticing. Conlaoch, my spear I forged to defeat my sister and her cursed spear, Gae Bolg."

"The spear that splits into thirty barbs once it penetrates flesh," Rain mused as he scratched the back of his head. "How do you counter that?"

"My spear also utilizes a curse." Aife walked up to Rain and placed her hand on his chest, where his heart should be. "You know that the heart is the center of human life correct? Well my spear targets the heart specifically. Any damage inflicted on another by my spear, regardless of where it actually lands on the body, is transferred by the curse to the heart. So in effect…"

"If the spear pierces the skin, then the curse will pierce the heart and that would…"

"Lead to instant death, correct." Aife took her hand of Rain and turned around toward the direction of their car. "However, the curse still needs to be activated through contact, meaning I have to actually land a clean hit for it to work."

"I see." Rain looked over to where Archer had been standing, where small splotches of blood could still be seen. "Well, thanks for coming to my rescue. There's no way I would have been able to fight a Servant on my own."

"Eh? Then why'd you stand there aiming at him like you were gonna fight? Don't tell me you were counting on me the whole time to swoop in and save you."

"That was the plan," Rain replied with a smirk on his face. "But thanks to it, we just defeated our first Master-Servant pair. Let's take our leave now. I feel as though we're being watched right now since we probably just attracted the attention of any nearby Masters."

"Alright, let's go." She waved her hand, motioning Rain to come over. "Hurry up. There's a movie that is going to play on TV in a little bit and I'd very much like to watch it." Rain lightly jogged over to where she was and the two continued on to the truck. With a low grumble of the engine, the truck's lights could be seen heading into the urban sprawl of Fuyuki City.

* * *

Day 1: Interlude

"These what-you-call 'automobiles', they have replaced horse-drawn transportation, correct?" Aife asked, staring out the window of the Toyota truck she was currently riding in.

"Yeah, for the most part," answered Rain, who did not take his eyes of the road. "They are faster, way stronger, and can carry more."

"You know, I had a carriage I used to love riding back when I was alive. The horses that pulled it were the most beautiful creatures on Earth."

"I see. Well, I don't have a horse so can't say I share the same feeling." Flicking the turn signal and turning down a narrow street, he eased his foot of the gas, slowing the car down. "Hey, Aife, do you sense it?"

"Yes. Down this road, there is definitely a mage living in that mansion." She pointed down the road to a large Western-styled property surrounding a mansion. Due to her status as a Servant, she could definitely see the intricate magical Bounded Field that covered the property. This field was definitely noticeable to any attune to magic, though it also seemed as if entering it would be extremely hazardous. "Do you think they'll be able to see us?"

"No." Rain continued down the road and made a right turn at another intersection. "I used a spell to mask our magical energy. Together, we just look like two normal people in a car. However, the mage family that owns this residence, concerns me."

"Oh? Why's that?" Aife asked, looking at him with curiosity. "You just killed a mage from a noble family so why does it matter?"

"Well to be fair, the Ortlinde family has been in a steady decline for the past few generations. However, the family that lives there, the Tohsaka clan, are an exponentially more talented mage family. For two centuries, they have produced children with innate talent comparable or exceeding those from the top European or Chinese families. In addition, they are well-respected within the Mage Association. They've inhabited this land for the past 200 years so they are very attune to the flow of magical energy throughout the city. We're on enemy turf, and they're the owners."

"I see. If the Holy Grail is on their property, chances are they were the first to summon a Servant to fight. They've probably been preparing for a while now."

"They're probably desperate to win. The last war ended with the death of the then-Head of the family, Tokiomi Tohsaka. From what I've heard, the current Head is a magic prodigy. Some even call her one of the ten greatest mages alive today. Her name is Rin Tohsaka, and I heard her name many times when I worked for the Association."

"When you worked? Does that mean you were assigned to kill her? That was your job wasn't it?"

"No, she's not on any wanted list. And I'm glad about that. Despite what you saw earlier, I actually know very little about magic. The Tohsaka family is talented at many types of magecraft, whilst I only know basic runic magic. And my magic is all combat based. Rin Tohsaka most likely knows higher-level magecraft such as self-healing. All I have are my guns which don't always work that well."

"Well, are you aware that I am proficient at runic magic as well?" Aife asked as she admired the night lights of Fuyuki City. "If need be, I can use magic against that girl if she scares you so much."

"It's not that she scares me. But I don't underestimate my opponents. After all, I wasn't raised as a mage, but instead as a soldier. So I focus more on advantages in battles than anything else. But thank you Aife, I'll take you up on that favor." The truck stopped in front of the apartment building from earlier. The pair got out the car and walked into the entrance.

"Don't worry about it Master. I don't have any intention to lose."


	3. Day Two: I

**Day 2**

It had been four hours since last night's visit to the church and subsequent battle. Rain and the Lancer-class Servant Aife were currently in the apartment they had rented in Fuyuki City. Aife was preoccupied with the program airing on the TV, what appeared to be some sort of action movie. Rain, on the other hand, was standing next to one of the beds, in the same outfit he had on earlier, minus the jacket. The blanket and bed sheet were neatly arranged onto the bed, leaving it smooth and inviting.

However, Rain wasn't interested in the bed itself, rather the objects on top of it. They were the firearms he had purchased from his contact the previous day. One was the long-range sniper rifle he had specially ordered, the CheyTac M200 Intervention. When it was first released, it was thought that the high price of the sniper rifle was too much of a drawback to equip a modern sniper with. However, once the long-range capabilities of the platform became apparent, special forces and sniper teams around the world purchased it to use. Rain had heard stories and accounts of snipers hitting targets over a mile away, though he hoped he wouldn't have to shoot at anywhere near that range in the city.

Next to it was the assault rifle he had purchased as well. Made of black polymer material, the Israeli Galil ACE was a beautiful weapon. At a little over 30 inches in length and weighing roughly 8 pounds, the weapon was a perfect blend of compact size and deadly firepower. Rain picked up the weapon and examined the accessories he had just placed on it. The foregrip under the barrel was gripped tightly in Rain's hands; the purpose of the grip was to provide greater accuracy during sustained fire. The second upgrade was the addition of a suppressor at the end of the muzzle to dampen the noise produced by the rifle when firing. This gave him an advantage if a situation arose that required stealth and discretion. The final was an ITL MARS reflex sight, mounted at the front of the gun atop the handguard. The reflex sight would provide a clear and accurate sight for longer range engagements.

The final weapon on the bed was a short-barreled shotgun with a pistol grip. It was an Ithaca 37, more specifically the "Stakeout" configuration normally used by police forces. A 12-gauge shotgun, it wasn't much use in long range, though clearing rooms and hallways was a perfect situation to use this weapon in. Rain looked at it, but didn't pick it up. He would keep the M200 and the Galil in his truck at all times. Grabbing the shotgun, he placed in under the bed that the weapons were on, placing a discarded pillow over it to hide it.

"That's an odd place to store a weapon," a voice remarked from over his shoulder. "Are you afraid of the monsters that make noises in the night?" It was Aife, looking over her Master's shoulder with curiosity.

"Very funny. I'm just leaving this here just in case we're attacked at a random moment. I might not have a weapon on me if that happens."

"I see. Well the advantage of being a Heroic Spirit is you can summon your Noble Phantasm whenever you want."

Noble Phantasms are the embodiment of a Heroic Spirit's legend. When summoned as Servants, Noble Phantasms can take the form of weapons, armor, abilities, or anything even remotely related to the Heroic Spirit in question.

"Sorry. I don't have a cursed spear in my inventory. I have to carry all the guns and ammo I need. But I have you, and can summon you to my side with my Command Seals if I need to." He raised his left arm and pointed to the red markings. Command Seals have three main purposes for a Master. To compel their Servant to obey one command, to summon their Servant to their side if they are far away, and providing a boost of magical energy. Those who summon Heroic Spirits in a Grail War are given the Seals upon summoning; it is believed that the Holy Grail is the mana source for the seals.

"Well I guess I won't worry too much. But it's morning Master. Are we going to leave the apartment at anytime? Being cooped up in this place isn't good for either of us."

"Well if you want to leave once the sun comes out to enjoy the city, I don't have a problem. It would do us good to memorize the layout of the city." Rain watched in amusement as a smile grew on his Servant's face. "Although, we should stop to get you some more modern clothing. Not saying that dress looks bad, but if we were to walk around in public it would attract a bit too much attention to your…"

"I get it Master," Aife interrupted, knowing full well the point Rain was attempting to make. "But when you've got thighs that can easily crush a man's skull, then what's the problem with showing them off once in a while?"

"You really like pointing out your sex appeal don't you?" Rain chuckled as he remembered the other times his Servant had mentioned her own sexual attractiveness. "Well not just that but no one these days wears your style of clothing."

"If my Master says so then I guess I don't mind. But will I get to choose what to buy?"

"Sure. I don't know much about clothing anyway." Rain looked at the apartment closet currently filled with his garments. The clothes hanging from various hangers ranged from button-up business shirts, collared polo t-shirts, various slacks, jeans, and boots. "In the past, _she_ used to dress me for social events." Rain added a emphasis to the female pronoun.

"I see." Aife quickly tried to change the subject. "Well I suppose I should thank the Gods for assigning me to such a generous Master who will pay for my new attire." Aife's smirk managed to get Rain to smile. "Speaking of which Master, how much wealth do you have? Your wardrobe aside, where do you get the money to buy all those weapons right there?"

"I've never really thought about it in all honesty." Rain said casually, turning to return the guns on the bed into their respective firearm cases. "For the last three years I've been working random jobs from the Mage Association in London. They've paid me generously after each job, so I never objected."

"I guess that makes sense. So, what time are we going to leave?"

"I don't know." Rain got up onto the bed and proceed to lie down. "I want to get some sleep for a couple hours before we do anything. You don't mind do you?"

"Not at all. I think I'll take a nap too." Aife's voice trailed as disappeared into particles of light. She reverted back to spiritual form to conserve her energy. " _See you in a couple hours then_ " she communicated in Rain's mind. His eyes closed and his mind gradually drifted off into the realm of sleep.

* * *

" _...wake up. Hey, wake up." A girl's voice gradually wafted into the boy's waking ears. "I brought you breakfast, now wake up"_

" _What?" Rain opened his eyes and sat up. He was in a small bedroom, currently sitting on a small bed. Light floated in from the window to the left of the bed. This was currently the guest room of the church. The room was near-empty, containing only a bed and a few boxes. That, and the girl currently sitting on the wooden chair next to the bed. She appeared to be holding tray carrying a bowl of food along with a spoon._

" _I. Brought. You. Food." A warm smile followed those four words. He wasn't sure if it was the morning light from the window, but her blonde hair looked beautiful and radiant, as were her deep azure eyes. "I didn't really know what you like, so I just picked my favorite thing to eat."_

" _Food?" He looked down at the bowl. Back in the rebel army, his food consisted mainly of jerky, canned beans and soup. The food in the bowl, however, looked warm and inviting._

" _Yes. It's my favorite." The girl placed the spoon into the bowl, carefully scooping out a small portion of the food. "Mac and cheese!" Rain noticed the odd enthusiasm in her voice as she told him the name of the dish in front of him._

" _Mac and cheese?" The macaroni noodles sat amongst the warm melted cheese, and the steam ascending from the warm bowl could be felt as Rain leaned in closer to take a look._

" _Open up!" The girl smiled as she held out the spoon toward Rain._

" _Huh?." Rain hesitantly opened his mouth, unaware of what was going on for a split seco-_

 _He was interrupted by the taste of macaroni and cheese in his mouth. Looking down, he noticed that the spoon the girl held was currently in his mouth. He carefully chewed the macaroni and cheese, savoring the taste and swallowing it. He looked forward to see the girl who had just fed him, eyes closed with the biggest smile he had ever seen._

" _So, how is it? Tell me tell me!"_

" _It's good. Thank you" Rain answered shyly. He had never tasted food that good, let alone someone feed him like that or show him that much happiness. A few days ago, he had been a soldier firing a rifle at the enemy, as he had been trained to for years. Now, he was a child being fed. Yet, for whatever reason, this seemed like somewhere he was better suited to; somewhere he wanted to be. The girl responded with soft giggles before speaking._

" _Of course! Yanno, I'm really glad you like mac and cheese because that means we can eat it together for meals! That sounds great doesn't it?!"_

" _Uh...sure." Rain was unaware of many things relating to emotion, though he felt as though saying no to the smiling face in front of him would be akin to a crime._

" _Yay! Thank you Rain!" The mention of his name surprised Rain._

" _You know my name?"_

" _Of course. You told me yesterday in the hospital remember? Since you're going to be living with us, I had to know your name." Raising her hand, she pointed to herself. "Do you remember what my name is?"_

" _Oh right. Ummmm….it started with an A didn't it?" To be honest, he didn't remember._

" _It's Aria," she corrected, puffing her cheeks. "A-ri-a. Geez, what kind of friend forgets his friend's name?"_

" _Oh. I'm sorry." However, instead of looking apologetic, Rain simply looked in bewilderment at the strange antics of the girl in front of him._

" _It's okay Rain. Don't worry, you and I will have plenty more time to get to know each other!" Setting down the bowl and spoon on the floor, she leaned forward and wrapped her new friend in a warm hug. Rain didn't know what to do in response, though the hug seemed to give him an odd feeling in his chest._

* * *

Rain opened his eyes, and meeting his gaze was the sight of the roof of the apartment. Darting his eyes from left to right, he could tell his surroundings were different from what was just in his mind. He was in an apartment in the middle of Fuyuki City, rather than the church back in France. In addition, he wasn't 12 anymore.

" _Damn, another dream."_ Rain thought to himself. He placed a hand on his chest, and felt that his heartbeat had become faster. " _I was different back then, wasn't I?"_

"That was a nice dream Master," remarked a voice next to him. Turning his eyes to the right, he noticed that the sun had rose through the window at the end of the room. ¨It's 10 AM Master. We should get going."

"Understood Lancer." Rain got up and headed toward the bathroom of the apartment. "Alright give me a couple minutes to get ready." The door to the bathroom close followed by sounds of water running. Aife sat down at the corner of the bed.

"Master, may I ask you a question?"

"Sure," Rain called out from within the closed bathroom.

"That girl, in your dream, is that the girl you wish to bring back?"

A couple seconds of silence passed before an answer was reached. "Yes, that was Aria."

"I see. Hey Master, I can see why you are so fond of her. Such a warm demeanor, even to a stranger such as yourself. I can see how she opened your heart up."

"I have her to thank for so much in my life. For once, I knew what happiness and comfort were. Thinking back, I wish I hadn't been so reluctant to talk to her then."

"But you know Master, I haven't had mac and cheese ever. To be fair, it wasn't around when I was alive but from your dreams, it looks good." Aife began chuckling which was matched by Rain's soft laughter from the shower.

"Very well then Lancer. If we win then I'll ask her to make some. I feel like you and her could be good friends."

"You mean _when_ we win. I expect nothing short of victory from us Master." As she finished her sentence, Rain opened the door, dressed in nothing but one of the pairs of beige trousers he had in the apartment. Walking over to the closet, he picked out a white shirt to put on top. As he buttoned the shirt, he retrieved a pair of black boots using his feet, placing them in front of him.

"But of course. With the great Queen Aife by my side, there's no possible way we could lose." Putting on the boots, Rain's outfit was a blend of practicality with a slight hint of style with the button-up shirt. Picking up the two firearm cases, he walked toward the door. "Alright Lancer, let's go." The pair walked out the door and exited the building.

* * *

"Could you not wave that around in my truck please? I'm trying to drive."

"Well it was in this little compartment and I just wanted a closer look." Aife was currently holding a handgun she had taken from the glove compartment in her hand. "It's shiny, plus what's the harm in holding it if I'm not going to kill anyone?"

"Maybe because most firearms are illegal for civilians to own in this country? Plus that handgun was a custom-made order. I wouldn't be happy if it got confiscated by the authorities."

Rain shifted his eyes over at the handgun his Servant was holding. This wasn't the hand cannon he had used in the previous day's battle. Rather, this was a pistol he kept in his truck at all times. Beautiful silver metal adorned the slide of the handgun while an ebony synthetic material wrapped around the gripped. The barrel had a weak golden-color luster to it and engraved on the slide was the word "Infinity". This indicated that this particular handgun was a SV Infinity, a highly-customized version of the classic M1911 pistol. This company was known for producing custom, made-to-order variants of the .45 caliber handgun that never failed to deliver. In fact, the prices of these handguns usually exceeded $5000 USD. The double-stacked, 12-round capacity magazine could be seen slightly protruding from the magazine well, a distinctive design feature..

"Well you have good taste Master. Who knew that humans of this era would still pride themselves in having beautiful weapons at their side?" Aife placed the handgun back into the glove compartment and closed it. "One time, you have to let me try it out. I'd like to try out something different then a spear. If these are custom made, could I get one that had the same properties as my spear?"

"I don't know anyone who makes guns with magical abilities. Plus I don't even know how that curse of your spear works and, to be honest, I'd rather not."

"Well Master, tell me this then. How is it that you learned about the world of mages? You said that you were raised as a soldier to fight with guns, yet you have enough magical knowledge to summon a Heroic Spirit to fight in a Grail War, in addition to using a fairly advanced variation of rune magic."

"Well, I never did elaborate on who exactly in the Mages Association hired me right?"

"No."

"Once, a flyer appeared in some bar in London. It came from a higher-ranking noble lady in the Association. I went to the location of the flyer and sure enough, I met the person, the matriarch of the Greyworth family. Word has it that she is one of the most powerful mages in the world, only being rivaled by the Director and a couple others."

"If she's one of the most powerful mages of this era, then why does she need you?"

"Being a high-ranking noble, and a powerful one at that, she'd attract attention anywhere she goes. When she's given assignments to capture heretic mages or secure a legendary relic, she can't simply leave and go to wherever she needs to go."

"So she needs someone unassuming?"

"Exactly. She contacts me, I head to the location she specifies, and I follow my instructions to the letter. When I succeed, I report back to her and get paid for my services. No Mage would ever suspect me, someone with little innate magical talent, as a threat so it works to my advantage."

"That still doesn't explain how you know how to use rune magic."

"Well my Master, she thought it would be a good idea to teach me some magecraft to help me in some of my missions. The only type of magic I really wound up finding an affinity to is rune magic, and I modified it to be practical in combat. However, my magical circuits are few in number, so using high-level magic for extended periods of time is impossible for me to do, so I can only use magic in small bursts."

"I see. Well perhaps it was fate that we wound up together then. Consider yourself lucky that you summoned a Heroic Spirit that can easily protect you." Aife turned toward him with a smirk on her face.

"You make it sound like I'm defenseless. I can take care of myself." Rain chuckled lightly before continuing. "Anyway we're here."

Aife gazed to her right as the truck parked beside the curb. Large buildings flanked either side of them, the vast urban jungle stretching out farther than what either could see. Currently, they were parked in front of a very large shopping complex. The Fuyuki Shopping Center, the largest shopping area in the city. Aife stared in amazement at the sights around her, the colorful signs and bright lights having been absent when she was alive.

"Come on. Let's go in." Aife's thoughts were distracted by the sound of the car door opening. Rain had opened the door from the other side and was motioning for her to get out. Aife got out of the car, followed by the sound of the door shutting. The two walked into the entrance of the shopping center, as the Heroic Spirit's eyes constantly darted around, taking in the sights.

* * *

"So what is this market place called again?" Aife asked as she stood outside a store window, admiring a dress on a mannequin.

"Well for starters, it's not a market. This is a 'shopping center'. It's a large building that has a bunch of small stores inside. You can find products of about any category inside a shopping center."

"Anything? So any kind of clothing?"

"Well yes. Look around, most of the stores are displaying the clothes they're selling."

"Food?"

"Most shopping centers have areas where you can find food vendors."

"Weapons?"

"Hmmm, not in this country. There are shopping centers I've been to in other countries where you can find knives and occasionally firearm-related weapons."

"I see. A bit off-topic but one more question. How well is my legend known in this country, or at least this shopping center?"

"Well to be honest, not well. Japan is on the complete opposite side of the world from Ireland. Aside from historians and mythology buffs, most people probably wouldn't recognize your name. Why do you ask?"

"People seem to be staring at me as we walk around. Did I do something out of the norm for this era?"

She had a point. Rain could tell that there were many curious gazes cast in their direction. It made sense, considering Aife was still wearing the attire she wore when she was summoned. However, few of the gazes seemed hostile. Rain assumed that most people thought she was some sort-of cosplayer, seeing as they were common in this country. He had missions that took him to Japan in the past, so he was aware of some of the _culture_ in the country, not that he'd talk about it specifically.

"No you didn't. I suppose people are just taken aback by your...presence. Once we get you some clothes, it won't be a problem."

"I see. These commoners realize they are in the presence of a Queen," Aife remarked, albeit jokingly.

"Yea whatever Queen." Rain smiled as he entered a clothing store. "Come on let's find some clothes."

* * *

The inside of the clothing was full of warm color tones. Throughout the store were mannequins dressed up in various styles of clothing, ranging from long dresses to sheer lingerie. As far as Rain could tell, the store seemed to specialize in feminine clothing. Glancing over at his Servant next to him, she seemed to be taking in the sights, carefully glancing at the various items for sale.

"Excuse me, can I help you two?" A female employee called out as she approached. Rain glanced cautiously at the employee, though the black dress she wore along with a name tag, and the warm smile on her face quickly put his suspicions aside. Rain stepped closer to Aife, as she looked at the employee as well.

"Yes you can," Rain answered, "my friend here is here is an actress for a movie being filmed here. However, her clothes seem to have not arrived from the flight for reasons unknown. We're here to see if we can get her some clothes for the meantime."

"Well then we can help you out with that!" The employee replied excitedly. "We have plenty of clothes that I think would look perfect for an actress such as yourself!"

"Very well then, I leave myself in your hands." Aife bowed the upper-half of her body before walking with the lady further into the store, leaving Rain alone.

" _Sorry Aife."_ Rain apologized telepathically to his Servant. " _I don't really know much when it comes to those of the opposite sex._ "

" _No worries Master. This lady here seems a very reliable source when it comes to clothing of the current era_ ".

" _I'll be waiting for you to get back. Don't worry, nothing will happen while you're gone."_

Rain found a spot in the store with three leather chairs, presumably for customers to sit in to take a break. Rain sat on the chair, noting how comfortable and soft the dark brown chairs were. Reclining his back onto the back-rest of the chair, Rain took out a small black object from his pocket: a cellphone. To be more specific, it was a smartphone, small in design with the only visible button being the circular "home" button underneath the screen. Unlocking the phone, Rain tapped his finger on the icon that resembled an old telephone bordered with light green. The number of people who had Rain's personal phone number could be counted on two hands; this phone was only used when Rain absolutely needed to contact someone at a specific moment. However, when Rain looked at his past calls, he noticed that he had a missed call, from a contact named on the phone as "G". Clicking on the missed call, the screen changed and a faint ringing could be heard from the phone. A second passed before a voice could be heard on the other end.

"I've been expecting you to call," the other voice began, "I trust that you are alive and well."

"Aren't I always?"

"I'm just making sure my loyal subordinate is okay." Rain chuckled a bit at her words. "But in all seriousness, how has the Grail War gone?"

"Very well actually. The Archer-class Servant and his Master have both been defeated."

"Is that so? Was that your doing?"

"Yes. The Master of Archer was Julius Ortlinde, and he wasn't that much of a threat."

"Well I'd expect nothing less from you. That family is weak. His remaining family within the Association is in all sorts of disarray right now. Since the heir has been killed, the family is struggling to find a suitable successor. But I have a more important tidbit to share with you."

"What is it?"

"The Atlas Institute has sent a couple of it's Alchemists to fight in the Holy Grail War."

"..." Rain fell silent at the mention of the Atlas Institute, a highly secretive organization of Mages who were known to create the most dangerous magical weapons in the world.

"You still there Rain?" the voice asked with a slight hint of concern.

"Yes." Rain regained his composure before starting. "Are you sure it's Atlas?"

"My contacts in the Institute have informed me of such. Surely you don't doubt my information network do you?"

"Well guessing from the fact that you have enemies all over the globe that you frequently ask me to take care of, I'm sure you're right," Rain answered, though there was no smile on his face after the jab, "However, that changes my game plan. Looks like I can't rest easy just because I killed some amateur Master. Is there anymore information you can give me?"

"The Saber-class Servant is going to be someone of Arthurian legend. There's been some commotion that one of the high-ranking Lords of the Association recently acquired a catalyst to summon a Heroic Spirit."

"Anything more specific?"

"All I know was that the catalyst was a shattered sword found buried somewhere here in England. My information network is supposed to be used to aid my own interests you know. I'm just assisting you on a whim."

"Ever the selfish old hag aren't you?" Rain laughed as he asked the question. "Alright, I appreciate your help. I'll look forward to the next call." Rain pressed the red button on his phone and put it back into his pocket. Looking around, Rain contemplated on the many different types of clothing that lined the shelves and tables of the store, in particular female clothing.

" _I wonder if this is where Aria would've shopped…"_ Rain thought, though two pairs of footsteps stopping near him quickly snapped him out of his thoughts. Rain looked toward his the source of the steps and saw Aife along with the helpful employee from earlier.

"Rain, do these clothes suit me?" Aife asked. She wore simple business casual attire, a simple red dress that extended to just above her knees while around her back and shoulders was a dark purple blazer, unbuttoned. Rain also took note of the simple black flats she had on.

"Yea they look fine. Fitting for someone as beautiful as yourself," Rain answered, a slight grin on his face.

"Very well then, as expected," Aife's lips curled upward a bit. She then turned to the employee. "Thank you very much. I'm sorry for any inconvenience."

"Oh no, not at all!" The employee seemed very flustered and surprised. "It's not every day we get someone as famous and beautiful as you! We're just a simple store but we're glad that we could help." Her cheeks seemed to glow with a slight shade of pink...or rather red. "Is there anything else I can help you with?"

"No thank you, that will be all for now, though we may come back another time." Rain responded.

"I see...well...if you are finished...then I can help you guys get to the register!"

"Well then, could you direct us to the counter please? We'll take these clothes." Rain got up and the trio headed to the counter where Rain was able to pay for the clothes. Paying with a silver card that came from his wallet, he noticed that the employee from earlier and the cashier seemed to be staring at Aife in a mesmerized state, as the Heroic Spirit seemed to be admiring a pair of sunglasses she tried on in a mirror. After saying bye to the cashier and the friendly employee, the two continued to walk through the shopping center.

"That nice employee seemed to take a liking to you" Rain said.

"She seemed nice, if-not a little too excited over the wardrobe," Aife said, amused, "however, these clothes suit my tastes. But the lady explained to me, that this style of attire is common among many working-class people?"

"Well I suppose. Women who work in an office or a professional setting would wear that kind of outfit."

"I see. The modern world is much different from the Ireland I lived in. However, it doesn't seem that bad compared."

"It gets worse in some places." Suddenly, Rain's senses tightened. "Lancer, you sense it too don't you?"

"Aye." The pair stopped their walking and carefully eyed their surroundings. While there were many people around shuffling about, they could be chalked up as mere shoppers going about their business, not a real threat. "Rain, over there. Someone is looking right at us."

Aife signaled with her head for Rain to look ahead of them toward a column a couple hundred feet away. Ahead was a girl leaning her back on the column, a girl dressed in a red overcoat, with a yellow scarf covering her neck. Turquoise eyes glanced over at Rain and Aife, as if analyzing the pair. Her long black hair stay still as the three exchanged looks toward each other. The air around them grew still, despite the crowds around them continuing about. Rain and Aife slowly approached, tense. Within mere seconds, they were standing right in front of the girl, though she didn't seem fazed.

"Lancer, Master of Lancer. I would like to introduce myself," the girl stood up straight. She crossed her arms around her chest. "My name is Rin. Rin Tohsaka. I am the mage responsible for this territory."

* * *

 **Afterword:**

Sorry for the long delay guys! In the time since the last update I graduated from high school, received a scholarship from the US Air Force, and started classes at San Diego State University. A lot of other non-school related things have happened too such as attending Anime Expo 2018, seeing Aqours live in LA, going to KCon, and seeing TWICE perform.

My life is now much more stable and boring which means I will be updating this story more often. Here's Part 1 of Day 2. From this point on, many of the "Days" will be split up due to plot line reasons but thank you to those still reading and please feel free to show your support by reviewing, leaving comments, and recommending this to other people! Thanks everyone and I will see you soon.


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